East Renfrewshire has recorded a ninth consecutive week without a death from Covid-19.

Latest figures released by the National Records of Scotland, for the week ending May 30, show the total number of fatalities in the area since the pandemic began more than a year ago remains at 225.

The last coronavirus death in East Renfrewshire was recorded in the week ending March 28.

However, concerns have been raised over high rates of infection.

On May 29, East Renfrewshire's weekly rate of infection per 100,000 residents stood at 164 – the highest of any council area in Scotland.

The second highest rate was in neighbouring Renfrewshire, where it stood at 152.

Six of Scotland's 32 council areas had a Covid death last week.

Glasgow and North Lanarkshire each had two fatalities, with a single death recorded in each of South Lanarkshire, Na h-Eileanan Siar, Falkirk and East Ayrshire.

The figures include all fatalities registered where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate and, as this includes suspected or probable cases, it differs from the lab-confirmed coronavirus deaths announced daily by the Scottish Government.

Across Scotland as a whole, the death toll now stands at 10,122.

It was announced yesterday that East Renfrewshire is to remain in Level 2 of the Scottish Government's coronavirus restrictions.

The area had been due to move to Level 1 on Monday, June 7, but First Minister Nicola Sturgeon pressed the pause button on the easing of restrictions amid concerns over the high rate of infection.

Professor Jason Leitch, Scotland's national clinical director, said today that, as restrictions ease, more cases of Covid are inevitable.

He added: "The question is whether you control that to a level that doesn't cause enough severe disease to fill hospitals and enough severe disease to cause misery and death to families.

"And that's the balance we are now trying to strike in the advice we are giving and the decisions the First Minister and the Cabinet have made."